Health bosses reveal date of Rocky's smoking summit

A SMOKING summit is one of the key strategies health bosses are looking at to combat chronic illness rates in Central Queensland.

Chief Executive of Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service Steve Williamson said the Destination 2030: Great Care for Central Queenslanders health and well-being campaign would be developed to "help promote healthier lifestyle choices to Central Queenslanders."

The campaign comes after it was revealed last week that the Fitzroy region was among the top five areas nationally that suffered from heart disease.

The Fitzroy area had much higher rates of smoking, obesity and diabetes.

The proposed strategy would include a smoking summit and the implementation of CQ Health's 10,000 Lives Project which have both designed to decrease rising health problems in the community.

The smoking summit is set to be held in Rockhampton on November 1 where a joint plan would be developed between health and community partners.

CQ Health's 10,000 Lives Project aims to commit 17,000 smokers to quit or influencing other persons to never start at all.

There are plans for CQ Health to establish a regional cardiovascular and respiratory centre to "deliver expertise in diagnostic and interventional cardiology, vascular surgery and interventional radiology."

"We recognise the need for effective and efficient health care services close to home, and the need to prevent chronic illness before people become hospital patients," Mr Williamson said.

He said the campaign has been planned to extend through to next year in order to target obesity and diabetes within the community.

"We will work to develop the partnerships at all levels to meet our Destination 2030 targets," Mr Williamson said.

"We need to do more as a community to get the best out of our health."

If you would like to attend this summit, express your interest in an email to 10000lives@health.qld.gov.au.